Container-filling apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

This machine for aseptically filling containers, particularly bottles and jars, with sterile, cold, sluggish flowing product, such as ketchup and chili sauce, has parallel conveyors extending through an elongated steam-filled enclosure wherein the bottles, after being preheated, move single file in groups of a specific number, first through an air-purging section of the enclosure where air is removed therefrom and replaced with steam, after which the group of steam-filled bottles pass into a filling section where the bottles are lifted against filling spouts, and as a product supply valve opens, an initial injection of products into each bottle condenses the steam and the resulting vacuum causes the product to almost instantly fill the bottles, which are then lowered and carried out of the machine while another group enters from the purging section. The operations on one conveyor are 180* out of phase with those on the other, so that while bottles on one conveyor are being purged in one section and filled in the next, purged bottles on the other conveyor are moving into the filling section and the filled bottles are being conveyed out of the filling section.

nitecl States Patent 3,393,49l 7/1968 Burton eta] Inventors Richard A.Smith Gibsonia; Chester L. Gutowski, Pittsburgh, both of Pa. Appl. No.876,345 Filed Nov. 13, 1969 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 Assignee H. J. HeinzCompany Pittsburgh, Pa.

CONTAINER-FILLING APPARATUS AND METHOD 22 Claims, 18 Drawing Figs.

[1.5. CI 141/5, 141/11, l4l/47,99/ l82 Int. Cl B65!) 1/04, B65b 3/04Field of Search l4l/l-8:47 -64:65-70 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS Primary Examinerl louston BE, Jr.

Attorney-Parmelee, U tzler & Welsh ABSTRACT: This machine foraseptically filling containers,

particularly bottles and jars, with sterile, cold, sluggish flowingproduct, such as ketchup and chili sauce, has parallel conveyorsextending through an elongated steam-filled enclosure wherein thebottles, after being preheated, move single file in groups of a specificnumber, first through an air-purging section of the enclosure where airis removed therefrom and replaced with steam, after which the group ofsteam-filled bottles pass into a filling section where the bottles arelifted against filling spouts, and as a product supply valve opens, aninitial injection of products into each bottle condenses the steam andthe resulting vacuum causes the product to almost instantly fill thebottles, which are then lowered and carried out of the machine whileanother group enters from the purging section. The operations on oneconveyor are l80 out of phase with those on the other, so that whilebottles on one conveyor are being purged in one section and filled inthe next, purged bottles on the other conveyor are moving into thefilling section and the filled bottles are being conveyed out of thefilling section.

VACl/Uli PRODUCT PATENTEUucTwmw sum 010! 10 3.613Jd6 PEODUCT'INVENTOR-S' RICHARD 4. SMITH and CHESTER L. GUTOWSK/ PATENTEDDCT 19 ISTISHEET [12 10 RICHARD A. SMITH and hair Altar/rays PATENTEUOCT 19197l sumU30F 1o INVENTORS RICHARD 4. SMITH and CHES El? L. GUTOWS/(l [1 l1 MairAlfarnays PATENTEUUET 19 l97l SHEET USUF 1O ium mm H F m5 1m m mamINVENTORS RICHARD 4. SMITH and H10 4 Mar/lays CHESTR L. GUOWS/(lPATENTEDBBT 19 an SHEET UBUF 1O F F If I I INVENTORS RICHARD A. SMITHand CHESTER L. GUTOWSK/ Mair Attorneys PATENTEDUBT 19 197i SHEET 10UF 1OCONTAINER-FILLING APPARATUS AND METHOD FIELD OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to aseptically filling containers, and especially tofilling thick, normally slow flowing liquids into bottles, jars or othercontainers to which a cap is subsequently supplied.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention was developed primarily forthe aseptic filling of ketchup and chili sauce and like sluggish flowingproducts into bottles, jars or other containers, and will be hereinafterdescribed in connection with the filling or bottling of these products,and particularly the aseptic filling of such products in a relativelycold condition, but this is by way of illustration, and does not excludevarious other products to which it is applicable.

Ketchup and chili sauce made with tomatoes are commonly bottled onconventional rotary bottle-filling machines where the product isintroduced into the bottles at a temperature of about 190 F. Since theseproducts are high-acid products, this temperature is as high as isnecessary to prevent spoilage. 036141869 filled bottles are thenimmediately capped, after which they are placed on a conveyor andsprayed with water until the filled bottles are cool. Then they aredried and passed on to the labeling machine. This spray cooling is timeconsuming and requires extensive conveying apparatus and large amountsof water.

Consideration has also been given to cooling the freshly preparedproduct under sterile conditions before it is bottled and thendelivering it out of contact with hair to conventional filling machinesin steam-filled rooms or enclosures to provide an aseptic atmosphere,but the operation of the rotary filling machine under these conditionswith its various sliding and moving parts is destructive to such partsor the bearings in which they move, since adequate lubrication cannot bemaintained. Also as the product cools, it becomes less fluid, so thatthe bottle-filling machines cannot operate at the desired speed. In anapplication filed by us, Ser. No. 823, 010, filed May 8, 1969 space wehave disclosed a process for aseptically filling tins or relativelylarge containers where relatively large diameter filling spouts can beused, but this is not well suited to filling ketchup and chili saucebottles and jars. The present invention is in the nature of animprovement on the method of and apparatus for filling bottles of JamesB. Anderson, Ser. No. 759,274, filed Sept. 12, 1968, and now U.S. Pat.No. 3,5 70,556 and assigned to our assignee.

OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention provides a method of andapparatus for aseptically filling bottles or other containers with acold product in which the bottles move into a steam-filled enclosurewhere they are first preheated and then the air is sucked out of themand steam from the enveloping atmosphere replaces the air. Unlike thefilling of bottles in conventional rotary bottle-filling machines, thesteam-filled bottles, arranged in a group traveling in a straight pathare arrested in their travel under a row of filling heads, and relativevertical movement takes place between the group of bottles and the rowoffilling heads, so that a nozzle is projected into each bottle, and thebottle, still filled with and surrounded by steam, is sealed against asealing ring or gasket that surrounds the nozzle. All of the fillingnozzles depend from a supply manifold to which the product is suppliedthrough a single valve. When the bottles are sealed against the seals ontheir respective nozzles, the supply valve to the manifold is opened,and a little spurt of product is instantly ejected into each bottle.This condenses steam in the bottle, drawing more product into the bottleby the vacuum created by the condensing steam. In an instant, all of thesteam will have been condensed and the filling of the bottle to the topcompleted. After the short time interval required to fill the bottles,the filling valve closes, and in so doing creates a negative pressure inthe manifold that sucks the product in the nozzles enough to preventdrip. Then a reverse relative vertical movement between the bottles andfilling nozzles takes place to withdraw the nozzles from the bottles.The volume or displacement of the nozzles is such that when a nozzlewithdraws from a bottle, the liquid level in the bottle drops to therequired level for a small head space to be left in the neck of thebottle.

In The filled bottles then move out of the machine through asteam-filled enclosure to the cap-applying machine, while another groupof bottles, which had been purged of air and filled with steam while thepreceding group was being filled with product, is moved into position tobe filled with the product.

In its preferred from, the machine has two parallel lanes, withoperating mechanisms alternating to effect filling of a group of bottlesin one lane as the group of filled bottles are moved out of the otherlane and replaced with other bottles to be filled; that is, one laneoperates out of phase with the other, so that vertically moving parts ashereinafter described largely counterbalance one another and the outflowof filled bottles to the label-applying machine is practically constant.All operations are electrically sequenced so that once set up foroperation, an operator is required only to watch the operation and stopthe machine should a malfunction occur. All heavy work-performing partsor mechanisms are located outside of and below the enclosure so thatbearings and lubricated connections are not exposed to steam. Anincidental but important advantage is that the product in entering thebottle, does not entrain air, as it does in other types of fillingmachines, and steam which does contact the product is immediatelycondensed.

A most important advantage is that the product may be cold so that thefilled and capped containers may be immediately labeled with no coolingand drying of the filled containers, as is necessary when the product isheated to a sterilizing temperature for bottling.

In the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of themachine:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the entire machine, certain parts beingonly schematically shown;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section on a somewhat larger scalein the plane of line II-lI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation on a somewhat larger scale of the machineshown in FIG. 1, but with the delivery conveyor and filledbottle-removing conveyor partly removed;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the switching mechanism over the deliveryconveyor;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation with certain parts broken away on a largerscale than FIG. 3, showing the section of the machine in which air isremoved from the bottles and replaced with steam, sometimes hereinreferred to as the air removal section;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section in substantially the plane of line VIVIof FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a similar section in the plane of line VII-VII of FIG. 8;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation with portions of the enclosure removed andwith certain parts broken away of the bottlefilling section of themachine, the view being on a larger scale than FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through the bottleconveying and lifting mechanism in the bottle-filling section, the frameand housing being eliminated;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the operating crank mechanism under thebottle-filling section taken on the line X-X of FIG. 11;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG.10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevationofa single filling spout;

FIG. 13 is a similar view to FIG. 12 showing the spout open fordischarge of product into the bottle;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary side elevation on a larger scale of the fiowcontrol of product into the filling manifolds;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a side elevation of one of the star wheels;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary top plan view of the conveyor chain and starwheel apart from the rest of the machine; and

FIG. 18 is a schematic wiring diagram for one-half of an operatingcycle, and the other half of the diagram (not shown) is a duplicateofthe circuits shown in this figure.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate likeparts throughout, 1 designates generally the machine frame havingvertical supports at various locations therealong, and parallelhorizontal sections 2 along each side for substantially the full lengthof the machine. There are two parallel link conveyor chains 3 and 30extending lengthwise along the machine, the upper reach of conveyorchain sliding on a continuous longitudinally extending support 4 and thetop reach of chain 3a riding on a similar support 411. The lower reachesof the chains ride on strips 5 and 5a respectively.

The two chain conveyors pass around sprocket wheels 6 and 6a at thedischarge end (right end as viewed in the assembly drawings) and thesesprocket wheels are fixed on a common shaft 8 having a drive sprocket 9at one end thereof. There is a drive motor and speed-reducing unit 10near the base of the machine, and a sprocket chain 11 driven by thisunit passes around sprocket wheel 9 to continuously drive both conveyors3 and 3a, the top reach of each moving toward the discharge end. At thedischarge end there is a wider take away conveyor 12 with one endlocated between the sprocket wheels 6 and 6a. This end of the take awayconveyor passes around a sprocket wheel on a shaft 13 on the outer endof which is a drive sprocket I4 and a sprocket chain 15 passing aroundsprocket 14 which also passes around another sprocket wheel 16 on shaft8, the arrangement being such that the take away conveyor 12 moves atthe same speed as, or somewhat faster than, the conveyor chains 3 and3a. b Just in advance of the sprocket wheels 6 and 6a are guides 17whereby bottles being carried on conveyors 3 and 3a are switched overonto the take away conveyor 12.

The other ends of the conveyor chains 3 and 3:: pass around sprocketwheels 18 and 18a respectively fixed on shaft 19. There is a bottledelivery conveyor 20 wider than the conveyors 3 and 3a that extendsbetween the sprockets l8 and 18a and between the bottle-receiving (left)ends of the conveyors 3 and 3a, but with the top reaches of all threeconveyors flush. The conveyor 20 passes around a sprocket wheel on ashaft 21 to the right of shaft 19, and which is operatively connected toshaft 19 by sprocket wheel 22 on shaft 21, sprocket chain 23 andsprocket wheel 24 on shaft 19. The arrangement is such that whenconveyor chains 3 and 3a are operating, they will rotate shaft 19 andthereby drive delivery conveyor 20, preferably at a faster speed thanconveyors 3 and 3a, sprocket 22 being smaller than sprocket 24.

There is a tunnellike like enclosure extending from a point over thedelivery conveyor 20 having a bottom 25, sidewalls 26, end walls withrestricted openings 27 and 28, and a top 29-30, the top 30 being at theright end of the machine as viewed in FIGS. 1,2 and 3 being higher thantop 29 at the forward end.

Just outside the entrance end of the tunnel there is i a switchingarrangement for directing incoming empty bottles onto one and then theother of the conveyors 3 and 3a with an overhead operating mechanismoutside the tunnel. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottles approaching thefilling machine are carried on conveyor 20 in a centered single filebetween a pair of fixed guides 20'. At the ends of these guides there isa supporting frame 31 having a vertical pivot pin 32 from which issuspended a crosspiece 33 of inverted U-shape or arch shape. Near theopposite ends of the crosspiece 33 are fixed guide rails 34, forming ineffect an extension of guides 20', and along with the crosspiece 33 theycan pivot on pin 32.

The opposite ends of the guide rails 34 move in an are from the positionshown in full lines in FIG. 4 where they register with guides 35-36 to aposition where they register with guides 36-37, thus directing thetravel of the bottles into alternate lanes. This shifting of guides 34from directing bottles in one lane and then the other is effected by adouble-acting fluid pressure cylinder-piston unit 38 wherein thecylinder is pivotally secured at one end at 39 to a fixed bracket 40 onthe machine frame. The piston is controlled by an electromagnet valvewith oppositely acting electromagnets or solenoids (see diagram FIG.18). The piston rod is pivotally connected at 41 to one arm of abellcrank 42 that is pivoted to a fixed frame member at 43. The otherarm of the bellcrank has a depending pivot pin 44 connected to acrosspiece of inverted U-shape 45. The inverted U-shape crosspieces 33and 45 hold the guide rails 34 in spaced parallel relation, but allowthe bottles to move under them.

As seen in FIG. 2, the two lanes formed by guides 35, 36 and 37,terminate inside the enclosure at angular separator guides 46 throughwhich the two lines or lanes of bottles are guided in diverging diagonalpaths onto conveyors 3 and 3a, 3 being at what may be termed forconvenience the near" side of the machine, and 3a is at the far" side.Extending along each of these conveyors from the separator guides 46 areparallel guides 47 along conveyor 3 and 470 along conveyor 3a. Byreference to FIG. 6, it will be seen that the guide rails 47 and 470 areclose to the bottoms of the bottles. There are higher guide rods 48 and48a above 47 and 470 respectively, to prevent bottles from falling oversideways. The guides 47-48 along conveyor chain 3 terminate at a starwheel 50 and 470-48 terminate at star wheel 500 which is transverselyaligned with star wheel 50. The star wheels are counting wheels thatintermittently allow a predetermined number of containers to pass it andthen lock to restrain the passage of more containers until the starwheel latches are released, as hereinafter more fully explained.

By reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be seen that near the entrance ofthe tunnel like enclosure there is a transverse steam manifold fromwhich depend four pipes 56 that connect into four longitudinallyextending perforated pipes 57 through which steam is introduced into thetunnel along the path of travel of the two lines of bottles, one on eachconveyor, the tunnel being kept full of steam at all times duringoperation of the machine. Steam is supplied to the manifold through pipe58, valve 59, pipe and vertical pipe 61, the valve 59 being outside thecasing, but as seen in FIG. 6, pipes 60 and 61 are inside.

The star wheels 50 and 50a are intermittently operated, and as seen inFIG. 17 they form a stop to block the travel of the bottles while theconveyors 3 and 3a operate continuously. Assuming that the machine fillsa group of 20 bottles at at a time, the distance from the star wheel 50and 50a to the separator is sufiicient to accommodate more than 20bottles. Assuming that the bottles are cold when they enter the tunnelto the separator should accommodate more than 40 bottles. so that theywill be raised to the temperature of the steam before they are purged ofair and filled with steam, as hereinafter described. Since the conveyors3 and 3a are continuously operating, the bottles are crowded against oneanother. being stopped by the star wheel or other counting and blockingmeans, so that the center-to-center distance is equal. In FIG. 2 the twolines of bottles are partially indicated by the concentric circles, butactually both conveyors are kept full of bottles well ahead of theentrance to the enclosure, and normally there are bottles on the supplyconveyor 20 ahead of the bottle-switching arrangement.

Above the top 29 of the tunnellike enclosure are two suction tubemanifolds 65 and 65a extending longitudinally above the conveyors 3 and30 respectively. Each manifold has a row of depending suction tubes 66therefrom that pass through openings in the top 29 of the enclosure withthe center-tocenter distance between the tubes corresponding to thecenter-to-center distance between the bottles. These tubes and themanifold from which they depend are raised when bottles are moving alongwith the conveyor over which they are positioned, but when a row ofbottles is stopped by the star wheel counting means, the manifold overthat line of bottles is lowered so that one tube enters each one of thebottles lines up against the star wheel. This part of the machine isherein sometimes referred to as the air-purging section.

The operation of the apparatus involves sucking the air out of eachbottle from close to its bottom, and as the air is removed, the denseatmosphere of steam in the enclosure, supplied through pipes 57,replaces the air inside the bottles, the suction tubes being of smallerdiameter than the neck opening in the bottle so that the steam will besucked in as the air is removed and so completely fill the bottles withsteam. While the air is being replaced with steam in the row of bottleson one conveyor 3a, the star wheel restraining the other row of bottleson conveyor 3, filled with steam, releases them to be carried into thebottle-filling section of the machine, and vice versa, so that when onemanifold is raised over one conveyor, as 3 in FIG. 6, the other one islowered.

To effect this movement of the manifold 65, there are two parallelvertical slide rods 70 at the near side of the machine and two similarrods 70a at the other side (see FIGS. 5 and 6). The upper ends of theserods each have a clamp 71 that is clamped around one or the other of thesuction manifolds, the clamps of rods 70 holding the manifold 65, andthe claims on rods 70:: holding manifold 65a. These rods pass throughslide bearings 72 on the machine frame, and the lower ends of rods 70are fixed in the ends of a connecting bar 73 while rods 70a aresimilarly fixed to a connecting bar 73a.

There is an adjustable link 74 attached to and depending from the middleof connecting bar 73. Its lower end (see FIGS. 5 and 6) is pivotallyattached to a crank arm 75 fixed on a rock shaft 76 that is carried infixed bearings 77. There is a second crank arm 78 on shaft 76 having alink 79 pivotally attached to its outer end, Similarly there is aconnecting link 74a attached to and depending from connecting bar 73a.The lower end of this link is pivotally connected to a crank arm 75aattached to shaft 760 that is carried in bearings 77a. Crank arm 75a ison the opposite side of the axis of rotation of its shaft from itscounterpart 75, so that when both shafts rotate through an arc in aclockwise direction, link 74 is pulled down to pull rods 70 down andlower the manifold 65 and its depending suction tubes, while clockwiserotation of shaft 76a will swing crank 750 up to thrust up on connectingbar 73a and rods 70a to raise manifold 65a and its depending suctiontubes, and rotation of shafts 76 and 76a in the opposite direction willreverse the movement of the two manifolds. Shaft 76a has a second crankarm 78a fixed thereto and an operating rod 80 is pivotally connected toarm 78a, as is also link 79 on crank arm 78. With this arrangement thereciprocation of rod 80 (by means hereinafter described) rotates shafts76 and 76a simultaneously in the same direction at the same speed anddistance to alternately raise one suction manifold and lower the other.

Each suction manifold 65 and 65a has an upwardly extending suction pipethereon designated 85 and 85a respectively, these pipes being intransverse alignment. As best seen in FIG. 6, each of these pipes isslidably fitted into a closed tube 86 and 86a at the ends of the crosspipe 87 to which is connected pipe 88 leading to a vacuum pump (notshown). It will be seen that when manifold 65 is raised, its pipe 85extends up into closed tube 86, shutting off the suction from cross pipe87 so that air is not drawn into the system through the raised tubes 66,but the upper end of tube 850 is below the cross connection 87, itssuction tubes 66 being projected down into the bottles B close to. thebottom of the bottles so that air will be sucked from these bottles andsteam from the enveloping atmosphere drawn in. When manifold 65 lowersand 65a raises, this condition will be reversed. The arrangement of thefitment 87 into which tubes 85 and 85a slidably fit provides a simpledouble-valving arrangement for the suction manifolds.

BOTTLE-FILLING SECTION OF THE MACHINE After the 20 bottles on one of theconveyors 3 or 3a in the example here assumed have had the air removed,and are filled with stream and the suction tubes 66 have been raisedclear of them, the star wheel counting means 50 will operate to passthem into the bottle-fitting section of the machine. In this sectionthere are two similar manifolds 90 and 90a fixed above the cover 30 ofthe tunnellike enclosure, one of these, 90, being located over theconveyor 3, and the other, 90a, over the conveyor 3a. Each of thesemanifolds has a number of similar filling spouts 91 depending therefrom,the center-tocenter distance of the spouts lengthwise of the manifoldbeing the same as the center-to-center distance of the bottles to befilled, which is the same as the center-to-center distance of suctiontubes 66.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show these filling tubes in detail. Each comprises atube 92 depending from an individual sealing plate 93 that is bolted tothe underside of the manifold with an intervening gasket. The plates mayhave some longitudinal clearance for the bolts 94 to allow for someslight adjustment of the tubes to insure correct spacing for the bottlesto be filled. At the lower end of each tube 92 there is screwed aninverted gasket-retaining cup or connecter element 95. There is asealing bushing 96 in the cover 30 around each tube where the tubepasses through the cover. Each element has a cavity 97 in its lower end.There is a tube 98 of smaller diameter than the tube 92 extendingthrough the element 95, and which has a flanged upper end confined inthe element 95 against the lower end of tube 92. It constitutes ineffect a reduced extension of tube 92 and is the spout or nozzle that isprojected into the neck of a bottle to be filled. There is a spider orguide bridge 99 in the element 95 that forms a guide for a rod 100 thatextends down through tube 98. This rod is guided near its lower end byspaced webs or spider elements 101. At the lower end of each rod 100 isa cap 102 that is an inverted cone to guide its insertion into the neckof a bottle, and which normally seats against the end of tube 98. Thiscap has a trun' cated conical plug 103 extending upwardly therefrom intothe lower end of which the rod 100 is secured. A light compressionspring 104 confined around the upper end of the rod between spider 99and a nut 105 on the upper end of rod 100 urges the rod up to hold thecap against the lower open end of tube 98. This cap is in effect anantidrip device, more than a valve. In the cavity 97 of element 95 thereis a rigid plastic washer 106 that is only a spacer, one or more ofthese washers being used for bottles of different heights. Below washer106 is a resilient sealing washer 107 of a rubberous character againstwhich the top of a bottle may be pressed into sealing airtight contactas indicated in FIG. 13.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15 there is a supply pipe 110 through whichketchup, chili sauce or like slowflowing or sluggish sterile product,usually cooled below 90 F., is supplied through valves 111 and 1110 tothe product manifolds 90 and 90a respectively. The outlets from thesevalves into the manifolds are through pipes 112 with flanged couplings113 (FIG. 14 There is a cylinder and piston unit 114 and 1145arespectively at the right end of each valve 111 and 1110. Each piston ineach piston and cylinder unit 114 and 114a 113 reciprocates a valveelement (not shown) control the flow of product from the supply pipeinto the respective manifolds. At the outer end of each cylinder thepiston rod is connected to a lever 116 or 116a, as the case may be.Lever 116 operates a switch 117 at one limit of its throw, and switch118 at the I other limit of its throw, and lever 116a operatescorresponding The reciprocation of each piston is remotely controlled byan electrically operated four valve, 121 for cylinder 114, and 121a forcylinder 114a.

According to the method of filling the bottles, the product manifolds 90and 90a are filled with product, as is each tube 92. The product is notunder any appreciable pressure. The bottles from which the air has beenremoved, and which have been filledwith steam in the preceding sectionof the machine, are raised against sealing washers 107 of the severalfilling tubes. As the piston 114 (in the case of manifold 90) moves tothe right and opens its product supply valve from the source of supply,a slight pressure is generated in manifold 90 sufficient to spring eachof the cap elements 102 open and spray a small amount of the relativelycold product into each bottle. This condenses the steam in the bottles,and product is sucked into the bottles a typical ketchup bottle fillingin about one-half second or less. Since each bottle is highly evacuated,each bottle will be filled to the top, and the vacuum will be relievedso that the bottle will lower freely away from the sealing washer 107,and as the tubes 98 are withdrawn by the lowering of the bottles, thelevel of product will drop since the tubes. are no longer displacingproduct, leaving exactly the desired amount of head" space between theproduct level in the bottle and the lip of the bottle. The reverseoperation of the piston in cylinder 90, which occurs just before thelowering of the filled bottles takes place, creates a slight suction inthe manifold that withdraws product at the very tips of the fillingnozzles, and under the influence of springs 104, the caps 102 will seatagainst the ends of tubes 98 to prevent drip. This same operationfollows when cylinder and piston unit 114a operates to open and closeproduct supply valve 11a. While the manifolds 90 and 90a are normallyfull of product, barometric pressure restrains it from flowing out thefilling tubes when the product supply valve 111 or 111a, as the case maybe, is closed.

With this explanation of the way filling takes place, the mechanism forraising and lowering the bottles may be explained, and the purpose of somoving them will be understood.

First, it should be noted that there is a second star wheel 125 spacedfrom star wheel 50 along conveyor 3, and star wheel 125a correspondinglypositioned along conveyor 3a. Star wheels 125 and 1250 in each case areremoved from the respective star wheels 50 and 50a a distance equal tothe length of a row of 20 upright bottles, plus a slight space of 15's.,

inches, for example. This provides clearance between the bottles in thepurging section and those in the filling section to avoid anypossibility ofinterference between the bottles in the two sections whenthose in the filling section raise and lower in the manner hereindescribed. As the bottles travel from the purging section into thefilling section, they press together under the action of thecontinuously moving conveyor 3 or 3a with the leading bottle against astar wheel 125 or 125a, as the case may be, thus assuring that thebottles will crowd together and each bottle will be centered under afilling spout.

As most clearly seen in FIGS. 9 and 11, there is a beam or channelmember 130 under conveyor chain 3, its support 4 and its return reachsupport 5, and a similar channel member 1300 under conveyor 30. Thereare upright supports 131 attached to each of these channels, and theirupper ends are attached to longitudinally extending strips 132, eachstrip having a runner 133 along its top edge. As shown in the left sideof FIG. 7 and in FIG. 9, the runners 133 are below the bottles which areriding on the chains, but on the right side of this figure channel 1300is raised, so that strips 132 and runners 133 have lifted the bottlesoff the chains and pressed the lips of the bottles against the sealingwashers 107 of the filling spout assemblies as heretofore described.There are ports 134 on the uprights 131 to which are attached side guidestrips 135, corresponding to 47, and guide rods 136 and 136acorresponding to guide rods 48 and 48a and which are in alignment withsaid guides, as seen in FIG. 3, when the beam on which they are carriedis in its lowermost position, that is the position shown in FIG. 8. Thisarrangement is duplicated at the far side of the machine where there areposts 134a with guides 135a and 136. In FIG. 7 the channel 130 and theparts carried thereby are in the lower position, while 130a and itsparts are at their uppermost limits of travel.

The beams or channels 130 and 1300, like the bars or beams 73 and 73a ofthe air-purging section, move l out of phase with each other, one beingup when the other is down. Also 73 and are 180 out of phase with eachother, 130 holding the bottles elevated when the suction tubes 66 ofmanifold 65 are entered in the bottles, and likewise 73a and 130a are180 out of phase. The mechanism for raising and lowering beams 130 and130a in alternating fashion is much like the mechanism for raising andlowering the manifolds and suction tubes. Beam 130 has a dependingadjustable link 140 that is attached to the free end of a crank arm 141that is free on a cross-shaft 142, this cross-shaft being carried inbearings 143. Shaft 142 has a second crank arm 144 adjustably fixedthereon with an offset terminal 144' that is engaged under arm 141. Thisshaft has a third crank 145 fixed thereon, to the outer end of which isconnected a link 146. There is a parallel cross-shaft 147 in bearings148 that has one crank 149 fixed thereon connected at 150 to the lowerend ofa piston rod 151 forming part of a fluid pressure cylinder andpiston unit 152. Shaft 147 has freely rotatable thereon a crank 153, theouter end of which is connected to an adjustable link 140a (see FIGS. 7,10 and 11) extending down from beam 130a, and there is adjustably fixedon shaft 147 another crank having a lug 155' that extends under crank153. Still another crank 156 on shaft 147 has its outer end connected tolink 146 and also to rod 80 (previously described) that goes forward tocrank 78a on shaft 760.

The arrangement is such that when shaft 142 rotates in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 11, the lug on crank 144 will come undercrank 141 to lift it, but when this shaft rotates in the oppositedirection, link 140 with the parts which it carries (including 20 fullbottles) will lower by gravity. but when beam 130 reaches its lowerlimit, 144 may continue to move from crank 141, providing a lost motionconnection such that shaft 142 can rotate through a greater are thancrank arm 141. There is a similar lost motion connection between crank153 and crank 155-155'. The extent of relative or lost motion can beadjusted by adjusting the position of adjustably fixed cranks 144 and155 on their respective shafts, andthe lost motion is desirable so thatpiston rod 151 may travel its full stroke, but rods 140 and 140a moveonly enough to press a bottle of predetermined height against thesealing gaskets 107. Lost motion such as this is desirable foraccommodating containers or bottles of different standard heights.

Assuming piston rod 151 to be in the extended position shown in FIG. 11and it is raised, it will rotate shaft 147, moving crank 155 down, andcrank 153 will follow it, lowering rod 140a. At the same time crank 156,acting through link 146. will rotate shaft 142 clockwise and crank 144,moving into contact with crank 141, will raise it to lift rod 140 toraise cross-channel 130 and the parts carried on it. lifting the bottlesoff the chain 3. Crank 153 lowers its rod 1400, while crank 141 raisesits rod 140 because of the direction of these cranks being reversedrelative to their respective axes of rotation on their respectiveshafts.

When shaft 147 is rocked through the operation of piston rod 151 andcylinder 152, motion is also transmitted through crank 156 to rod 80 tooperate the suction tube manifold raising and lowering mechanismpreviously described (FIG. 5), so that rods 70 push up to raise themanifold 65 to lift the suction tubes out of the bottles on conveyor 3in the purging section at the same time that the filled bottles in thefilling section are lowered back onto the conveyor 3, whereby theair-purged steam-filled bottles are prepared to move forward into thefilling section as the filled bottles are discharged from the machine.Also as rods 70 are raised, rods 70a and manifold 65a are lowered,entering the air exhaust tubes 66 into the bottles on conveyor 3a in thepurging section and raising the bottles in the filling section above theconveyor into engagement with the filling spouts on the far side of themachine. Thus as purged and filled bottles on one conveyor are readiedfor the next increment of travel, the bottles on the other conveyor arepurged of air in one section and the preceding airpurged group filled inthe filling section. There are guide rods 130' attached to the channel130, and which slide in guides 130", to maintain the channel 130 levelas it moves up and down, and there are similar guide rods and guides forchannel 130a.

All of the counting star wheels 50, 50a and 125 and 125a are of likeconstruction, such as star wheel 50 in FIG. 17. Each star wheel is keyedto its own shaft, but only the shafts 50' are on the near side of themachine shown in the drawings, but the mechanisms about to be describedare duplicated on the far side of the machine, but operate 180 out ofphase with those on the near side.

Starting with star wheel 125, its shaft 125' drives a reducing gear 170that turns a cam disk 170', which, however, is held from turning by alatch means 171 with a solenoid 172 to release it. When latch 171 isreleased, the pressure of the bottles then resting on the continuouslymoving conveyor chain 3 causes them to rotate the star wheel. Since, inthe example here assumed, there are full bottles, with five vanes on thestar wheel, the star wheel will make four full revolutions to rotate cam170' one full revolution to enable the latch 171 to spring back intolocking position. Until a full group of 20 bottles pass the star wheelthe cam 170' will hold the latch open, but 20 bottles will complete arevolution of the cam, and the latch, being spring-biased, will snapinto a latching notch in the cam 170' to hold it against rotation. Whenlatch 171 releases the cam, latch extension 171 drops away from switch173, opening a circuit through which the raising or lowering of piston151 with its cylinder 152 is controlled, so that this mechanism cannotoperate if a filled bottle should remain on the conveyor 3 in thefilling section of the machine, and not more than the allotted 20bottles can pass.

Counting star wheel 50 has its shaft 50' operatively connected to asimilar reducing gear 175 with a cam disk 175 which is normally heldfrom turning by latch 176, this latch having a solenoid 177 to releaseit. When the latch 176 is released, the pressure of the bottles willrotate the star wheel which, like star wheel 125, must rotate fourcomplete revolutions to bring its latch-receiving notch back to latchingposition. Also, when the latch 176 is released, its extension 176' dropsaway from switch 178, so that switch opens, and it is in series withswitch 173 so that both switches 173 and 178 must be closed for themachine to cycle. Therefore, unless and until 20 purged and steam-filledbottles pass into the filling section, this star wheel will not operate,so there can be no vacant position under a filling spout, but when 20bottles have passed the star wheel 50, it will again be latched. Thereare similar star wheel cam latches 171a and 176a for the star wheels125a and 5011. As an additional safety measure, there is a flag switch180 hereinafter sometimes designated as advance bottle-monitoringswitch," in advance of the bottle-switching device in series with theswitches 173 and 178 and in series with switches 173a and 1780 so thatif there is not a supply ofbottles to be filled in each ofthe lanesleading to conveyors 3 and 3a, the next filling cycle in either lanewill not occur. In other words, the opening of switch 180 will not stopthe machine except on completion of the cycle then taking place,assuring that there can be no cycle without an adequate run of emptybottles reaching the machine. The switch 180 is preferably a time delayswitch which would not open when there is a temporary gap oftwo or threebottles or so that would quickly be closed.

The operation of the machine may be described in connection with thediagram in FIG. 18. By way of preliminary explanation, and as previouslymentioned, it should be kept in mind that in FIG. 15 for purposes ofillustration, the piston of cylinder 114 is shown in the retractedposition and the piston of cylinder 114a is shown in the extended.position. However the normal position for each piston would be theretracted position in which the valves 111 and 111a respectively are-lll closed. It should also be borne in mind that when the cross bar 73in FIG. 5 is in the elevated position shown, the cross bar 73a is in itslowermost position, so that the downstroke a is shown in the extended of73 for switching operations is comparable to an upstroke of bar 73a.

It will be noted in FIG. 5 that one of the vertical support bars has avertical series of switch elements thereon with the elements at threedifferent levels. There is a switch-operating element 181 on the end ofbar 73 for operating these switches. At the top there are a pair ofswitches SA and SA. Below this there is a single switch SB and at thebottom there are switches SC and SC. All of these are normally open, butare closed by engagement with contact 181 as it moves up and down withbar 73 between its upper and lower range of travel.

Since the two lanes are duplicates of each other, but out of phase, thecircuits for one side are shown, and the circuit for the other side isthe counterpart. It should be kept in mind, however, that when the partson the near side are in the position shown in FIG. 5, the suction tubes66 will have exhausted the air from the containers positioned underthem, and in the filling section ahead, the filled containers have beenlowered back onto the conveyor 3 ready for discharge from the machine.At the same moment the air exhaust tubes on the other side will beprojected into the containers in the other lane, and in the sectionahead, the containers to be filled will be sealed against theirrespective filling spouts.

With this condition, the operation of the filling valve on the far sidewill sequence the operation on both sides. Starting with the parts inthe position just before the bar 73 has moved high enough for element181 to contact switch SA, supply valve 111a and its operating cylinder114a for the far lane will be closed, and switch lever 1160 will belocated between contacts 117a and 1190. There is a latch-in relay at182. While it is here shown in diagram as two relays side by side, it isin fact a single unit with a solenoid for closing upper contacts and asolenoid for closing a lower set of contacts. In the diagram therefore,they have been labeled Top" and bottom." At the time here assumed, thesolenoid 183 for the top contacts will have been previously operated toclose top contacts 183 and bottom contacts 184 will be open.

As lifting bar 73 continues to move up, assuring that the bottles in thefar lane are pressed snugly against the gaskets around their fillingnozzles, element 181 closes switch SA, whereupon line current,designated llOV flows through switch SA, from line L, through wire andclosed switch 119a, then through line 190 across closed top contacts 183of the latch in relay to line 195. A branch from line leads to theprimary of a stepdown transformer 196 to the other line, here designatedfor clarity as a ground symbol marked 1 10V. This induces a low-voltagecurrent to energize the 0" or open side of solenoid valve 121, thecircuit from the transformer being through the valve open solenoid at121 through wire 197 to the ground side of the transformer. Thisenergizes cylinder 114a to open product supply valve 111a and move lever116a. As the lever 116a opens, it opens switch 116a, but its travelunder pressure in cylinder 114a will continue until this lever closesswitch 118 a to operate the close side of valve control 121 and reversethe operation of the valve. Before the reversal of the valve actuallytakes place, due to slight overtravel which occurs, switch 120a will bemomentarily closed, closing a circuit through bottom solenoid of latchin relay 82 to close bottom contacts 184 and open top contacts 183, sothat the operation will not repeat when lever 116a returns to closeswitches 117a and 119a in preparation for the next cycle. It takes thecontainers only a half second or so to fill, so that this operationtakes place quickly.

When the top latch in relay contacts 183 are closed to energize line 195and transformer 196, relay 198 is momentarily closed to operateelectromagnet 199N to operate valve 200 to send air into containerguiding switch cylinder 38 to operate the lane switch to a positionwhere bottles or other containers are switched into the near lane.Magnet 199F is operated in the other half cycle from the correspondingswitching elements of the filling valve on the near lane to sendcontainers into the far lane when the near lane is filling.

Also, when line 195 is energized to energize the transformer 196, animpulse is sent from line 195 through line 201 to energize the star orcounter wheel release latch means, such as solenoids 172 and 177 torelease the cam disks for the near lane star wheels 125 and 50,respectively, so that while containers in the far lane are being filledin one section and purged of air in the preceding secton, the filledcontainers in the near lane are discharged from the filling section,airpurged containers are moving from the purging section into thefilling section, and preheated containers on the entry end of theapparatus move up into air-purging position and replacement containersmove into the preheating zone from the operation of the switch cylinder38 as above described.

When the latches for the star wheels release, the switches 173 and 178drop open. These switches are in series with each other and with line190, lower latch in relay contacts 184 (which were closed when switchoperating lever 116a closed switch 120a momentarily, as above explained)line 202, advance bottle-monitoring switch 180, line 203. From 203 thecurrent path is from switch 173, through switch 178, line 204, baroperated switch SA to line 205. Line 205 leads to an electromagnet 206Uthat opens a fluid pressure valve to admit pressure to the lower end ofcylinder 152 to raise the containers in the near lane to effect theother half cycle of the two-lane filling operation. It will be seen,however, that the operation of cylinder 152 cannot take place unlessbottom latch-in relay contacts 184 are closed, there is a supply ofcontainers to be processed at the monitoring switch 180, switch SA isclosed and the star wheel counter latches have been latched, closingswitches 173 and 178. The latches for these counter star wheels ofcourse cannot close unless and until containers (in the operation hereassumed) have moved out of the filling section, rotating the star wheelcounter just the exact number of turns, and star wheel counter hasdelivered exactly 20 air-purged containers into the filling section.

When magnet 206 is momentarily energized to raise piston 151, this willlower bar 73 with its switch-operating extension 181, opening switchesSA and SA, but since electromagnet 206U has operated a fluid pressurevalve, piston rod 151 will continue to rise. As switch-operating element181 moves past switch SB, an impulse will be sent from line L throughline 207 to energize the top relay magnet of latch-in relay 182, closingtop contacts 183 and opening contacts 184, so that this relay isconditioned for its next operation. An impulse will also be sent throughline 208 to the corresponding latch-in relay for the near lanecounterpart (not shown) of latch-in relay 182, but its top contactswould already have been closed when 181 moved in its previous up travelso that this impulse through line 208 would, at this stage, have noeffect, just as the next up travel of 181 past switch SB will have noeffect on latch-in relay 182, since it will have been operated on thedown traveljust described.

Switches SC and SC are operated when 181 reaches its low point of travelto operate the near lane filling valve and circuits which are thecounterpart of those described, and for that reason, and for clarity ofdisclosure, are not diagrammed.

Throughout the diagram, ground symbols marked 1 10V" are connected to areturn current supply line (not shown) but which is indicated at L it isdesignated 110V purely for identification, since this is a normal valuefor commercial lowvoltage outlets, but it could be a voltage ofgreateror less magnitude. Ground symbols not marked are return lines to thetransformer 196.

it has been noted that container-supply-monitoring switch 180 is a timedelay switch which, if opened, will not immediately break the circuit,so that if there should be a temporary gap of three or four bottles inthe supply of bottles or other containers to the apparatus, it would notopen circuit 203, since that number may occur for an instant now andthen with adequate time for the deficiency to be made up in advance ofthe air-purging section of the apparatus. Of course if switch does opendue to an insufficiency of containers, the machine will complete thehalf cycle which is taking place at that moment, but will not begin theother half cycle until switch 180 is closed. It is only when cylinder152 requires reversing that the opening of switch 180 will preventoperation. A half cycle of the machine as the term is here used, meansthe operation which occurs on one upstroke of piston rod 151 or onedownstroke, or the discharge of 20 filled bottles from one lane with theother 20 being filled but still elevated, whereas a full cycle is acomplete discharge of 20 filled bottles from each lane.

Since the bottles are filled by suction, the relatively cold slowflowing sterile liquid fills the bottles almost instantly and uniformlyin a sterile environment because the entire tunnellike enclosure isfilled with steam. The chain is practically the only moving part in theenclosure other than the nylon bearings for the star wheel shafts, andthe bearings for the shafts that carry the chain sprockets are outsidethe enclosure, as are the rock shafts and operating pistons andcylinders A machine built to accommodate 20 bottles on each side has ashort operating cycle so that filled bottles are delivered to a cappingmachine in rapid succession. It is not possible for the machine tooperate unless there is an adequate supply of bottles, and unless thecounting means comprising star-wheeldriven cams rotate exactly 360,corresponding in the example given, since the latch means 171 and 176cannot otherwise close, and until they close, switches 173 and 178cannot close and the machine cannot cycle.

Not only does the use of parallel conveyor units and duplicate systemswith one side 180 out of phase with the other produce a more nearlycontinuous flow of filled containers from the machine, but the weightsof upwardly moving parts on one side of the machine nearlycounterbalance the weight ofdownwardly moving parts on the other side,Also. on the same side of the machine the downwardly moving suctionmanifolds in the purging section tend to counterbalance, at leastpartially, the simultaneous upward lift of the bottles in the fillingsection on the same side. This counterbalancing reduces the size andpressure required for cylinder-piston unit 152 and its pressure pump andpower requirements.

When the filled containers leave their respective lanes. they aretransferred to the conveyor 12 where they are carried to a cappingmachine. This conveyor is also enclosed so that a sterile steam-filledatmosphere can be maintained around the containers until closures areapplied. For clarity of illustration. such enclosure is not shown, butit corresponds to a similar arrangement shown in our copendingapplication Ser. No. 823,0l0, filed May 8, i969, disclosing an asepticcontainer filling apparatus more especially designed for filling largerand wider mouthed containers than the apparatus here shown.

It is a desirable result of this invention that there is no entrainmentof air in the product as it fills the containers, because of the airhaving been removed from the containers. and replaced with steam.

We claim:

1. The method of aseptically filling a container having a fillingopening with a sluggish flowing, relatively cold liquid product whichcomprises:

a introducing the container into a steam-filled environment into whichsteam is constantly introduced,

b. sucking the contained air out of the container by a suction tubeinserted into the container close to the bottom thereof and replacingthe air with steam from the steamfilled environment,

c. sealing the filling opening against a sealing gasket through which afilling tube projects into said opening while the bottle remains in saidsteam-filled environment,

d. drawing the product through the filling tube by effectingcondensation of the steam in the container, and

e. withdrawing the filling tube from the container to lower the liquidlevel in the container.

2. The method defined in claim 1 in which condensation of the steam inthe container is effected by an initial discharge of a small amount ofthe product into the container by a momentary increase in pressure onthe product supply to the filling tube.

3. The method defined in claim 1 in which the container has a neck witha lip around the open end of the neck and the filling opening is formedat the top ofsaid neck.

4. Apparatus for aseptically filling open-top containers with a sluggishflowing relatively cold liquid comprising:

a. an elongated enclosure with means for constantly supplying steamthereto to maintain an atmosphere of steam therein,

b. means for conveying a succession of containers through saidenclosure,

c. suction tubes and means for inserting them into the containers towithdraw the air from the interior of the containers and replace it withsteam from said enclosure,

d. filling noule means beneath which the air-purged steamfilledcontainers are carried by said conveying means, said filling nozzlemeans comprising a series of filling tubes connected with a productsupply manifold, each tube having a sealing gasket surrounding the sameand through which the filling tubes project, and

e. means arranged to effect relative vertical movement between thecontainers and filling nozzle means to project one of said tubes intoeach of a succession of said steam-filled containers and seal the opentops of the containers against the said gaskets to effect a discharge ofproduct into the containers by suction when the steam in the bottlescondenses.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said nozzle means includevalve means to supply the product to the manifold, and means foreffecting the opening of said valve means when the containers have beenscaled against said gaskets.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein there is means arranged toeffect the closing of said valve means after a time lapse sufficient forthe container to fill, and means arranged to effect the reverse relativevertical movement between the containers and filling tubes after thecontainers have filled to ef fect withdrawal of the filling tubes.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein means is provided so arrangedthat the containers move intermittently through the enclosure in groupsof equal numbers of containers, with such movement of the containersbeing halted when the suction tubes are entered therein and thecontainers are being filled.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the intermittent movement isso arranged that one group of containers has the suction tubes enteredtherein while another group is being filled.

9. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with a relatively coldproduct wherein the product is sucked into the container by firstremoving air from the container and replacing it with steam which isthen condensed comprising:

a. an elongated enclosure having entrance and exit ends,

b. a conveyor for moving containers in single file through theenclosure,

c. means for constantly maintaining an atmosphere of steam in theenclosure around the containers,

d. the enclosure having in succession an air-purging section in whichair is removed from the containers and replaced with steam from withinthe enclosure and a containerfilling filling section,

e. means controlled by the containers arranged to divide the travel ofthe containers from the purging section to the filling section intosuccessive groups of a predetermined number, and means for blocking thetravel of each group after it enters the filling section and forsimultaneously blocking the travel of containers in the purging section,

f. a separate filling nozzle in the filling section for each containerin the group,

g. means for effecting relative vertical movement between the containersin the filling section and the filling nozzles to effect a vacuumtightseal between the containers and the nozzles and effecting relativemovement between them to separate them when the containers have beenfilled,

h. means arranged to discharge product to the nozzles only when thecontainers and nozzles so engaged, and thereby effect condensation ofsteam in the containers to produce a vacuum therein and therebyaccelerate the flow of product from the nozzle into the containers,

10 i. means for projecting an air exhaust tube into each of thosecontainers in the air-purging section which comprise the group next toenter the filling section and then withdrawing them when the air in saidgroup of containers has been removed and replaced with steam,

j. said means for blocking the travel of the containers in the fillingsection being arranged to release the travel of the filled containersout of the filling section when the filled containers have been loweredand said means for blocking the air-purged steam-filled section isarranged to release them for entry into the filling section as thefilled containers leave the filling section.

10. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers as defined in claim 9wherein the enclosure has a container preheating section in advance ofthe air-purging section to effect heating of the containers before theyenter the air-purging section.

11. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with a relatively coldliquid product wherein the product is sucked into the container by firstremoving air from the container and replacing it with steam which isthen condensed comprising:

a. an elongated enclosure having entrance and exit ends,

b. a conveyor for moving containers in single file through theenclosure,

c. means for constantly maintaining an atmosphere of steam in theenclosure around the containers,

d. the enclosure having in succession a container preheating section, anair-purging section in which air is removed from the containers andreplacing it with steam and a container-filling section,

. container-counting means operatively arranged along the conveyorbetween the air-purging section and the filling section and acontainer-counting means so arranged at the opposite end of the fillingsection,

f. latch means operated by the container-counting means for holding saidcounting means in container-blocking position after a predetermined likenumber of containers has moved past each such counting means whereby thetravel of the containers with the conveyor is blocked after suchpredetermined number has moved past said counting means, saidcontainer-filling section having a series of separate filling nozzlestherein, one over each empty container confined by said counters andlatch means on the conveyor in the filling section, means in the fillingsection for lifting the containers in the filling section off theconveyor and raising them into sealed engagement, each against aseparate filling nozzle so arranged that product is sucked therefrominto the containers by the condensation of steam within the containersand after they are filled, lowering them onto the conveyor,

h. means in the air-purging section operating in synchronism, with saidlast-named means for lowering an air exhaust tube into each of thosecontainers in the airpurging section that will constitute the group nextto enter the filling section and lifting said tubes from the saidcontainers as the filled containers in the filling section are lowered,and

i. means for releasing said counting means latches to release the filledcontainers for travel out of the filling section and effect the travelof the next group into the filling section to repeat the cycle.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein there is a common operatingmeans lifting and lowering the containers 75 spouts the filling sectionand first lowering and then lifting said air exhaust tubes whensynchronism whereby the opposite motions at least partiallycounterbalance each other.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said conveyor iscontinuously driven and the counting means comprises a star wheelpositioned between the purging section and the filling section arrangedto be engaged by the containers as they are carried by it on theconveyor and the counting means at the other end of the filling sectionis a similar star wheel, each star wheel being operatively connected toits own rotatable disk, each disk having a latch-engaging notch therein,a latch for each disk arranged to releasably engage said notch torestrain the disk and its star wheel from rotating when the latch is soengaged, and means for momentarily withdrawing the latch from the notchto free the star wheel and disk for rotation, said latch being biased toreenter the notch when the disk has rotated one revolution, andelectromagnetic means for effecting the withdrawal of the latch from itsnotch.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said conveyor iscontinuously driven and the counting means comprises a star wheelpositioned between the purging section and the filling section arrangedto be engaged by the containers as they are carried by it on theconveyor and the counting means at the other end of the filling sectionis a similar star wheel, each star wheel being operatively connected toits own rotatable disk, each disk having a latch-engaging notch therein,a latch for each disk arranged to releasably engage said notch torestrain the disk and its star wheel from rotating when the latch is soengaged, and means for momentarily withdrawing the latch from the notchto free the star wheel and disk for rotation, said latch being biased toreenter the notch when the disk has rotated one revolution, and meansfor simultaneously withdrawing both latches from their respectivenotches, said star wheels said star arranged to drive their respectivedisk in synchronism by the passage of containers past them.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein:

j. there is also a second conveyor in the enclosure parallel with thefirst conveyor and wherein there is also a container counting meansoperatively arranged along the second conveyor between the air-purgingsection and the filling section and also another counting means alongthe second conveyor at the opposite end of the filling section, and

k. wherein the latch means defined in clause (f) of claim 11 areduplicated for the container counting means along said second conveyorand the nozzles defined in clause (1) are also duplicated for the secondconveyor, and

1. wherein the means defined in clauses (g) and (/1) of claim 11 arealso duplicated for the second conveyor,

m. characterized by the said common operating means defined in claim 11being also operatively connected with the duplicate container-liftingand lowering means in the filling section and also the duplicate airexhaust tube lowering and lifting means in the air-purging section andbeing so arranged that the container-lifting and lowering means and airexhaust tube lowering and lifting means for the second conveyor cycle180 out of phase with their counterparts along the first conveyor.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein there is a separate productsupply valve for the filling nozzles for the containers on one conveyorand another for the filling nozzles for the containers on the otherconveyor, with means for operating said product supply valves 180 out ofphase.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein electric control means areprovided for releasing the star wheel latches for the star wheels alongthe second conveyor when the product supply valve for the fillingnozzles for the containers in the filling section of the first conveyorare discharging into the containers lifted above the first conveyor andvice versa.

18. Apparatus for aseptically filling bottles and like containers with asluggish flowing product comprising:

a. means providing two parallel lanes along which containers are movedin single file,

b. means for preheating the containers,

c. means providing a steam-filled enclosure with an airpurging sectionwherein air is removed from the containers and replaced with steamfollowed by a filling section through which said lanes extend,

d. means in each lane for intermittently effecting travel of preheatedcontainers along the respectible lanes in equal groups from theair-purging section into the filling section and simultaneously moving agroup of like number of filled containers out of the filling section,

e. means along each lane in the air-purging section for simultaneouslyremoving air from the group of containers next to be filled andreplacing it with steam in periods between the intermittent travel ofthe groups through the enclosure,

f. means along each lane and the filling section for filling thecontainers with product in that group in the filling section in the sameperiod that the succeeding group in the purging section is being purgedof air, said means comprising a filling nozzle in said section for eachcontainer in the group and means are provided in the filling section forbringing each container into sealed engagement with a filling nozzle,the arrangement being such that an initial discharge of product from thenozzles into the containers condenses steam to produce a vacuum in thecontainers which sucks product into them until each has been filled tothe required extent and the vacuum relieved, and

g. control means for effecting the operations of purging air from onegroup of containers and filling another group with product in one lanewhile travel of the groups of com tainers in the other lane is takingplace.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the filling means comprisesa series of spouts leading from a common product supply manifold and avalve for controlling the flow of product into the manifold, and whereinthere is means arranged to effect relative vertical movement between thecontainer and filling spouts to project one of the spouts into eachcontainer and effect a sealing engagement between each container and thespout that enters the container so that when said valve is opened someof the product will be discharged from the spout into the containersinto which the spout is entered to condense the steam and create avacuum to thereby suck the product into the container, said means foreffecting relative vertical movement between the containers and thefilling spouts being also effective to withdraw the spouts from thebottles after the containers have been filled with product, said controlmeans being arranged to effect such relative vertical movement in bothdirections and to effect the opening of said valve when the containersare in sealed relation to the spouts and to close it after thecontainers have filled with product.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein the operation of saidfilling valve in one lane is arranged to control the travel of thegroups of containers in the other lane, the arrangement being such thatthe said reverse relative movement of the containers and spouts in onelane may take place only when the groups ofcontainers in the other lanehave completed their increment of travel.

21 Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the means for effectingrelative vertical motions of the containers and filling spouts comprisesa mechanism common to the apparatus of both lanes so arranged that whenthere is upward motion of said means in one lane there is downwardmovement of its counterpart in the other lane.

22. Container filling apparatus comprising:

a. a steam-filled enclosure having a preheating section, an

air-purging station and a container filling station,

b. means for intermittently advancing groups of containers arranged inrows through the enclosure from the heating section with intervalsbetween successive stages of travel of the groups and with an equalnumber of containers in each group and with the travel of the groupsbeing arranged in air-purging section and in the filling stations of theenclosure,

c. means at the air-purging station comprising a series of means at thefilling station comprising a manifold with a series of spouts dependingtherefrom, with the spouts being so positioned that one spout iscentered over each container in the group when travel of the group isarrested at the filling section, each nozzle having a sealing gasketthereabout, together with means for effecting relative vertical movementbetween the containers and the mainfold until one spout is entered ineach container in the group with the top of the container pressed insealing contact with the sealing gaskets around the respective spoutsand then effecting reverse relative movement when the containers havebeen filled to separate the containers and the spouts, 7'

. means for supplying product to be bottled to the manifold including avalve which is normally closed,

. said means for lowering the tubes into the containers at theair-purging station and for effecting relative vertical movement betweenthe containers and the manifold at the filling station comprising acommon drive mechanism that synchronizes their respective operations insuch manner that when air is being purged from one group, another groupis being filled, and

. control means for opening said valve to admit product to the manifoldonly when the containers are pressed into sealing contact with thegaskets around the spouts, the said valve and spouts being arranged toinitially inject product into the steam-filled containers in the fillingsection and thereby condense the steam in the containers and produce asuction to draw product through the spouts into the containers until thesuction has been relieved.

1. The method of aseptically filling a container having a fillingopening with a sluggish flowing, relatively cold liquid product whichcomprises: a. introducing the container into a steam-filled environmentinto which steam is constantly introduced, b. sucking the contained airout of the container by a suction tube inserted into the container closeto the bottom thereof and replacing the air with steam from thesteam-filled environment, c. sealing the filling opening against asealing gasket through which a filling tube projects into said openingwhile the bottle remains in said steam-filled environment, d. drawingthe product through the filling tube by effecting condensation of thesteam in the container, and e. withdrawing the filling tube from thecontainer to lower the liquid level in the container.
 2. The methoddefined in claim 1 in which condensation of the steam in the containeris effected by an initial discharge of a small amount of the productinto the container by a momentary increase in pressure on the productsupply to the filling tube.
 3. The method defined in claim 1 in whichthe container has a neck with a lip around the open end of the neck andthe filling opening is formed at the top of said neck.
 4. Apparatus foraseptically filling open-top containers with a sluggish flowingrelatively cold liquid comprising: a. an elongated enclosure with meansfor constantly supplying steam thereto to maintain an atmosphere ofsteam therein, b. means for conveying a succession of containers throughsaid enclosure, c. suction tubes and means for inserting them into thecontainers to withdraw the air from the interior of the containers andreplace it with steam from said enclosure, d. filling nozzle meansbeneath which the air-purged steam-filled containers are carried by saidconveying means, said filling nozzle means comprising a series offilling tubes connected with a product supply manifold, each tube havinga sealing gasket surrounding the same and through which the fillingtubes project, and e. means arranged to effect relative verticalmovement between the containers and filling nozzle means to project oneof said tubes into each of a succession of said steam-filled containersand seal the open tops of the containers against the said gaskets toeffect a discharge of product into the containers by suction when thesteam in the bottles condenses.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4wherein said nozzle means include valve means to supply the product tothe manifold, and means for effecting the opening of said valve meanswhen the containers have been sealed against said gaskets.
 6. Apparatusas defined in claim 4 wherein there is means arranged to effect theclosing of said valve means after a time lapse sufficient for thecontainer to fill, and means arranged to effect the reverse relativevertical movement between the containers and filling tubes after thecontainers have filled to effect withdrawal of the filling tubes. 7.Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein means is provided so arrangedthat the containers move intermittently through the enclosure in groupsof equal numbers of containers, with such movement of the containersbeing halted when the suction tubes are entered therein and thecontainers are being filled.
 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 whereinthe intermittent movement is so arranged that one group of containershas the suction tubes entered therein while another group is beingfilled.
 9. Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with arelatively cold product wherein the product is sucked into the containerby first removing air from the container and replacing it with steamwhich is then condensed comprising: a. an elongated enclosure havingentrance and exit ends, b. a conveyor for moving containers in singlefile through the enclosure, c. means for constantly maintaining anatmosphere of steam in the enclosure around the containers, d. theenclosure having in succession an air-purging section in which air isremoved from the containers and replaced with steam from within theenclosure and a container-filling filling section, e. means controlledby the containers arranged to divide the travel of the containers fromthe purging section to the filling section into successive groups of apredetermined number, and means for blocking the travel of each groupafter it enters the filling section and for simultaneously blocking thetravel of containers in the purging section, f. a separate fillingnozzle in the filling section for each container in the group, g. meansfor effecting relative vertical movement between the containers in thefilling section and the filling nozzles to effect a vacuumtight sealbetween the containers and the nozzles and effecting relative movementbetween them to separate them when the containers have been filled, h.means arranged to discharge product to the nozzles only when thecontainers and nozzles so engaged, and thereby effect condensation ofsteam in the containers to produce a vacuum therein and therebyaccelerate the flow of product from the nozzle into the containers, i.means for projecting an air exhaust tube into each of those containersin the air-purging section which comprise the group next to enter thefilling section and then withdrawing them when the air in said group ofcontainers has been removed and replaced with steam, j. said means forblocking the travel of the containers in the filling section beingarranged to release the travel of the filled containers out of thefilling section when the filled containers have been lowered and saidmeans for blocking the air-purged steam-filled section is arranged torelease them for entry into the filling section as the filled containersleave the filling section.
 10. Apparatus for aseptically fillingcontainers as defined in claim 9 wherein the enclosure has a containerpreheating section in advance of the air-purging section to effectheating of the containers before they enter the air-purging section. 11.Apparatus for aseptically filling containers with a relatively coldliquid product wherein the product is sucked into the container by firstremoving air from the container and replacing it with steam which isthen condensed comprising: a. an elongated enclosure having entrance andexit ends, b. a conveyor for moving containers in single file throughthe enclosure, c. means for constantly maintaining an atmosphere ofsteam in the enclosure around the containers, d. the enclosure having insuccession a container preheating section, an air-purging section inwhich air is removed from the containers and replacing it with steam anda container-filling section, e. container-counting means operativelyarranged along the conveyor between the air-purging section and thefilling section and a container-counting means so arranged at theopposite end of the filling section, f. latch means operated by thecontainer-counting means for holding said counting means incontainer-blocking position after a predetermined like number ofcontainers has moved past each such counting means whereby the travel ofthe containers with the conveyor is blocked after such predeterminednumber has moved past said counting means, said container-fillingsection having a series of separate filling nozzles therein, one overeach empty container confined by said counters and latch means on theconveyor in the filling section, g. means in the filling section forlifting the containers in the filling section off the conveyor andraising them into sealed engagement, each against a separate fillingnozzle so arranged that product is sucked therefrom into the containersby the condensation of steam within the containers and after they arefilled, lowering them onto the conveyor, h. means in the air-purgingsection operating in synchronism, with said last-named means forlowering an air exhaust tube into each of those containers in theair-purging section that will constitute the group next to enter thefilling section and lifting said tubes from the said containers as thefilled containers in the filling section are lowered, and i. means forreleasing said counting means latches to release the filled containersfor travel out of the filling section and effect the travel of the nextgroup into the filling section to repeat the cycle.
 12. Apparatus asdefined in claim 11 wherein there is a common operating means liftingand lowering the containers spouts the filling section and firstlowering and then lifting said air exhaust tubes when synchronismwhereby the opposite motions at least partially counterbalance eachother.
 13. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said conveyor iscontinuously driven and the counting means comprises a star wheelpositioned between the purging section and the filling section arrangedto be engaged by the containers as they are carried by it on theconveyor and the counting means at the other end of the filling sectionis a similar star wheel, each star wheel being operatively connected toits own rotatable disk, each disk having a latch-engaging notch therein,a latch for each disk arranged to releasably engage said notch torestrain the disk and its star wheel from rotating when the latch is soengaged, and means for momentarily withdrawing the latch from the notchto free the star wheel and disk for rotation, said latch being biased toreenter the notch when the disk has rotated one revolution, andelectromagnetic means for effecting the withdrawal of the latch from itsnotch.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said conveyor iscontinuously driven and the counting means comprises a star wheelpositioned between the purging section and the filling section arrangedto be engaged by the containers as they are carried by it on theconveyor and the counting means at the other end of the filling sectionis a similar star wheel, each star wheel being operatively connected toits own rotatable disk, each disk having a latch-engaging notch therein,a latch for each disk arranged to releasably engage said notch torestrain the disk and its star wheel from rotating when the latch is soengaged, and means for momentarily withdrawing the latch from the notchto free the star wheel and disk for rotation, said latch being biased toreenter the notch when the disk has rotated one revolution, and meansfor simultaneously withdrawing both latches from their respectivenotches, said star wheels said star arranged to drive their respectivedisk in synchronism by the passage of containers past them. 15.Apparatus as defined in claim 11 whereIn: j. there is also a secondconveyor in the enclosure parallel with the first conveyor and whereinthere is also a container counting means operatively arranged along thesecond conveyor between the air-purging section and the filling sectionand also another counting means along the second conveyor at theopposite end of the filling section, and k. wherein the latch meansdefined in clause (f) of claim 11 are duplicated for the containercounting means along said second conveyor and the nozzles defined inclause (f) are also duplicated for the second conveyor, and 16.Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein there is a separate productsupply valve for the filling nozzles for the containers on one conveyorand another for the filling nozzles for the containers on the otherconveyor, with means for operating said product supply valves 180* outof phase.
 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein electric controlmeans are provided for releasing the star wheel latches for the starwheels along the second conveyor when the product supply valve for thefilling nozzles for the containers in the filling section of the firstconveyor are discharging into the containers lifted above the firstconveyor and vice versa.
 18. Apparatus for aseptically filling bottlesand like containers with a sluggish flowing product comprising: a. meansproviding two parallel lanes along which containers are moved in singlefile, b. means for preheating the containers, c. means providing asteam-filled enclosure with an air-purging section wherein air isremoved from the containers and replaced with steam followed by afilling section through which said lanes extend, d. means in each lanefor intermittently effecting travel of preheated containers along therespectible lanes in equal groups from the air-purging section into thefilling section and simultaneously moving a group of like number offilled containers out of the filling section, e. means along each lanein the air-purging section for simultaneously removing air from thegroup of containers next to be filled and replacing it with steam inperiods between the intermittent travel of the groups through theenclosure, f. means along each lane and the filling section for fillingthe containers with product in that group in the filling section in thesame period that the succeeding group in the purging section is beingpurged of air, said means comprising a filling nozzle in said sectionfor each container in the group and means are provided in the fillingsection for bringing each container into sealed engagement with afilling nozzle, the arrangement being such that an initial discharge ofproduct from the nozzles into the containers condenses steam to producea vacuum in the containers which sucks product into them until each hasbeen filled to the required extent and the vacuum relieved, and g.control means for effecting the operations of purging air from one groupof containers and filling another group with product in one lane whiletravel of the groups of containers in the other lane is taking place.19. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the filling means comprisesa series of spouts leading from a common product supply manifold and avalve for controlling the flow of product into the manifold, and whereinthere is means arranged to effect relative vertical movement between thecontainer and filling spouts to project one of the spouts into eachcontainer and effect a sealing engagement between each container and thespout that enters the container so that when said valve is opened someof the product will be discharged from the spout into the containersinto which the spout is entered to condense the steam and create avacuum to thereby suck the product into the container, said means foreffecting relative vertical movement between the containers and thefilling spouts being also effective to withdraw the spouts from thebottles after the containers have been filled with product, said controlmeans being arranged to effect such relative vertical movement in bothdirections and to effect the opening of said valve when the containersare in sealed relation to the spouts and to close it after thecontainers have filled with product.
 20. Apparatus as defined in claim19 wherein the operation of said filling valve in one lane is arrangedto control the travel of the groups of containers in the other lane, thearrangement being such that the said reverse relative movement of thecontainers and spouts in one lane may take place only when the groups ofcontainers in the other lane have completed their increment of travel.21 Apparatus as defined in claim 20 wherein the means for effectingrelative vertical motions of the containers and filling spouts comprisesa mechanism common to the apparatus of both lanes so arranged that whenthere is upward motion of said means in one lane there is downwardmovement of its counterpart in the other lane.
 22. Container fillingapparatus comprising: a. a steam-filled enclosure having a preheatingsection, an air-purging station and a container filling station, b.means for intermittently advancing groups of containers arranged in rowsthrough the enclosure from the heating section with intervals betweensuccessive stages of travel of the groups and with an equal number ofcontainers in each group and with the travel of the groups beingarranged in air-purging section and in the filling stations of theenclosure, c. means at the air-purging station comprising a series ofsuction tubes corresponding in number with the number of containers ineach group, with one tube centered over each container together withmeans for lowering said tubes into the containers with one tube enteringeach container for exhausting air from the containers and replacing itwith steam from the enclosure and then raising the tubes clear of thecontainers, d. means at the filling station comprising a manifold with aseries of spouts depending therefrom, with the spouts being sopositioned that one spout is centered over each container in the groupwhen travel of the group is arrested at the filling section, each nozzlehaving a sealing gasket thereabout, together with means for effectingrelative vertical movement between the containers and the mainfold untilone spout is entered in each container in the group with the top of thecontainer pressed in sealing contact with the sealing gaskets around therespective spouts and then effecting reverse relative movement when thecontainers have been filled to separate the containers and the spouts,e. means for supplying product to be bottled to the manifold including avalve which is normally closed, f. said means for lowering the tubesinto the containers at the air-purging station and for effectingrelative vertical movement between the containers and the manifold atthe filling station comprising a common drive mechanism thatsynchronizes their respective operations in such manner that when air isbeing purged from one group, another group is being filled, and g.control means for opening said valve to admit product to the manifoldonly when the containers are pressed into sealing contact with thegaskets around the spouts, the said valve and spouts being arranged toinitially inject product into the steam-fIlled containers in the fillingsection and thereby condense the steam in the containers and produce asuction to draw product through the spouts into the containers until thesuction has been relieved.